1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of safety equipment. More particularly, the present invention is directed to safety equipment related to tree stands and other devices where persons may be involved in activities above the ground, such as utility pole linemen.
2. Description of Prior Art
The use of tree stands is a popular method for hunting game animals. A tree stand, comprising a platform suitably adapted to support one or more hunters, is placed in a tree and secured thereto. A climbing device is used to gain access to the tree stand. The climbing device may be a rope, a ladder, rungs embedded into the tree, or other suitable means to ascend into the tree stand. The tree stand itself typically comprises safety devices, both to secure the tree stand to the tree and the hunter to the tree stand. Alternatively, the hunter may be secured directly to the tree once in the tree stand. The hunter ascends the tree using the climbing device and enters the tree stand, whereupon the hunter waits for a suitable game animal to approach.
Once a tree stand is secured to a tree and all applicable safety devices are in place, the hunter is relatively safe ascending the tree and remaining in the tree stand. However, placing the tree stand in the tree in the first instance as well as initially placing the climbing device has always been dangerous. Typically, the hunter would have to climb the tree, with no safety devices, and then haul up the components of the tree stand and climbing device. During this period of time the hunter would be at heightened risk of falling out of the tree.
One method of providing safety to a climber during the installation of the tree stand and climbing device is to provide incremental safety during the first ascent of the tree. For example, much like a rock climber, the climber ascending the tree could insert a piton or other fixed object into the tree while still relatively low to the ground, attach a safety line to the fixed object, and then climb higher into the tree. This process is repeated as elevation is gained, as many times as needed. While this method does provide safety, it is slow and requires the placement of fixed objects all along the trunk of the tree.
Another method involves placing a ladder against the tree and securing it to the tree, usually by a set of straps encircling the tree. By necessity, the first securing strap will be placed around the tree at a low level; the climber will then climb the partially secured ladder and place another securing strap higher up, and then repeat the process as elevation is gained. Again, this method is slow and exposes the climber to a degree of danger when the ladder is only partially secured to the tree.
What these methods lack, and what is needed, is a means for securing a safety device to a tree at a high level above the ground while the climber is still safely on the ground. Such a method should also be easy and quick to use, and should not require permanent attachment to the tree or the temporary use of belts or girdles to provide intermediate security.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a safety device that can be placed high in a tree by a user remaining safely on the ground.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety device that is quick and easy to use.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a safety device that does not permanently attach to the tree.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a safety device that is inexpensive to manufacture.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a safety device that may be used on other tall objects, such as utility poles.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a safety device that may be used on with any number of different climbing devices, such as ropes, fixed ladders, rope ladders, and the like.
Other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the description that follows.